Litter-gathering device



A. H. FISHER 1,780,748

LITTER GATHERING DEVICE Filed Sept. 50. 1929 -INVENTOR. MM "J5'AZ M,

B4 ATTORNEY3.

Nov. 4, 1930.

into the top soil and injure the blades of grass" Patented Nov. 4, 1930 UNITED STATES ALBERT H. FISHER, OF EAST CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASBIGNOB TO mmm'r 3. mm, 01'

PATENT ,OFFICE CLEVELAND, OHIO v mun-surname -nnvrca:

Application filed September 80, 1928. Serial Io. 880,810.

This invention as indicated relates to a litter gathering device. More particularly it comprises a device adapted to remove or gather litter of various character such as miscellaneous trash of scrap from workshops and the like, or leaves and litter on lawns, golf courses, and the like, without injuring the soil or surface in any manner and at the same time very eflectively and quickly removing the accumulated matter.

Heretofore it has been proposed to provide lawn rakes, and the like, with resilient metal fingers, but such devices have the defect of contacting with the surface with unequal tension and having some of the teeth thereof dig or other plant life of the lawn.

The principal object of the presentinvention is to provide a device having a plurality of projections or teeth which will themselves be resilient throughout all or a substantial portion of their longitudinal extent andthus be free to yield individually to any necessary degree to clear the surface over which the device is moved to compensate for slight inequalities of such surface and thus avoid throwing up sections of sod or digging into or injuring the plant life of the lawn, or injuring any other surface to which it is applied, such as gravel walks, or floor surfaces. In fact the device is suitable to be used on polished floor surfaces without injuring the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lawn implement which may be constructed in part of rubber of a predetermined degree of resiliency which will most effective- 1y serve to gather leaves and small particles of twigs and litter, such as are to be found on lawns, and propel them with successive strokes toward a point of removal. Another object of the invention is to provide a lawn implement which will be cheap to manufacture and at the same time will operate with greater effectiveness than ordinary lawn rakes, or brooms, or lawn implements having rigid or substantially rigid fingers, even though such fingers be resiliently supported.

A further object of the inventlon is to provide a resilient rubber tooth or projection to a method of cuttin form part of any desired type of implement .o r apparatus, including revolvin drum htter gathermg apparatus, whic will have superior efiectiveness in handling such material. g

Qther and further objects of the invention will a pear in the course of the following de- SGIlPtlOIl. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention then, consists of the means hereinafter fully descrlbed and particularly pointed out in the claims.

'1 he annexed drawin and the following descriptlon set forth in etail certain structure embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of var1ous structural forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

. In said annexed drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my preferred form oflitter gathering device, having rubber teeth;

Fig. 2 IS a perspective view illustratin a toothed sections out o a blank of sheet rub er of suitable thickness;

.Fig. 3 1s a fragmentary perspective view shown the manner of mounting one of the toothe sections shown in Fig. 3;

Fi 4 is a erspective view showing a modified orm 0 construction of the device; and

Fig.5 is a fragmentary plan view showing the manner of supporting the teeth of the device shown in Fig. 4.

.. As is clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, the preferred form of the invention comprises an implement having a horizontal channel member 1 with overhanging flanges 2 at its base providing a wide slot with a substantially rectangular passageway through the body of said member from end to end. On the up er face of the member a air of angular-1y isposed arms 3 are provide which are secured at their lower ends by rivets 4, suitably countersunk, or other fastening devices, 'to the channel member and at their upper ends terminate in a socket 5 within which a handle 6, which may be of wood or light metal as desired, may be suitably secured.

Within the channel member there is adapted to be enga ed a rubber element 7 of approximately t e size of the interlor space within said channel member so as to be capable of being drawn lengthwise thereinto, sa1d rubber member on its under face carry1ng a plurality of downwardly projectlng teeth 8 also formed of rubber and spaced from each other a suitable distance'which may be a proximately twice the width of each in 1- vidual tooth. The teeth are preferably curved or inclined at thelr lower ends 9 in one direction so as to present an angular lower contact area to engage with the leaves or other litter which may be upon the lawn, or other surface operated upon.

The rubber elements will be formed in suitable molds and preferably should provide made out of reclaimed rubber, which is cheaper in cost than pure gum rubber and works more effectively than a rubber element having too great a degree of elasticity. The total length of the teeth is approximately three inches for an implement for general use although the proportions of the implement and its several parts may be varied for the particular type of grass covering the lawn.-

In the event that the implement is to be used for gathering up paper or other litter in an amusement park, or the like, it may be found for example that teeth of twice the usual length may be required. The spacing of the teeth may also be varied according to the particular use to which the implement is to be put. The teeth of the several modifications of my improved rake as illustrated in the drawing. are each shown with their outer ends of slightly reduced or tapered shape, whereby anincrease in the resiliency of these members is aflorded in such outer end portion over the upper portion which is engaged by the cross member.

While the implement has been described as being suitable for lawns, it is also adaptable for various other purposes and it is not intended in this description to limit the use of the implement to the maintenance of lawns and the like, but to include in the scope of the invention every use to which it may be properly applied.

Another method of forming the implement of rubber is shown in Fig. 2, and comprises utilizing a sheet of rubber 12 of substantial thickness and having a depth suflicient to provide fingers which will have a longer transverse dimension than width. The sheet of this type is of suflicient width to form two complete resilient elements for a lawn implement. The sheet is severed centrally in a zig-zag' line so as to produce two interlocking sets of teeth 13, 14, and when drawn apart may be individually mounted in an implement having a suitable channel member 15, such as is shown in Fig. 3.

Another method 0 producing the device is shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The-channel member 1 is adapted to receive strips 16 providing a series of opposed arcuate recesses 17 at spaced intervals within which individual teeth 18 of rubber are engaged. When the parts are assembled the parts should be firmly 'a suitable angle and the handle member be ing en aged therewith in the usual manner.

Obviously further variations in the means and manner of securing the various elements in operative relation may be made and the showing of various specific forms is not intended in any way to exclude other forms of structure from the scope of the invention.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as re ards the structure herein disclosed, provide the means stated by an of the following claims or the equivalent 0 such stated means be em phiyed.

therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. An article of the character described having in combination a cross member, adapted in use to provide a substantiall horizontal support, a handle connected with said cross member, and a plurality of outwardly extendin spaced flexible rubber members mount on said cross member and ofaincreasing resiliency toward their free en s. 1

2. A rake having a cross member, adapted in use to provide a rigid substantially horizontal support, and a rubber comb-like member supported thereby providing a plurality of elastic members.

3. An article of the character described having in combination a metal channel member having inwardly projecting flanges providing an intermediate slot, a block of rubber ada ted to be frictionall engaged within sai channel, said block 0 rubber being provided with a plurality of rubber members extendin ion tendingl outwardly at spaced intervals throng said slot in said channel member and each of said individual members being angularly displaced at its free end tower the same side.

Sggned by me this 16th day of August,

' ALBERT H. FISHER. 

